15 Small Appliances You Need for your RV Camper

Wondering what the best small appliances to put in your RV camper are?  Space is limited, so you must carefully consider your cooking and lifestyle needs when deciding on which appliances to bring with you on your next camping trip.  Here are the essential appliances that you should make sure you have in your RV camper.

#1 – Coffee Pot/Keurig

People who rely on their morning cup of coffee to jump start their day NEED to have a coffee maker ready to go first thing.  From traditional drip-brew coffee pots to single serving pod-style, this is the number one small appliance needed for most campers.  You can also use your coffee maker to heat up water for tea and hot chocolate as well as for campfire dish washing.

#2 – Flat Top Grill (like Blackstone)

A portable gas grill will allow you to cook almost any meal and not have to worry about messing with charcoal.  Cooking outside keeps the inside of your camper cool during those hot summer days too!

#3 – Ice Maker

Having plenty of ice on hand for cold drinks is a must when camping in hot weather.  RV refrigerators have tiny ice trays and can take too long to freeze.  Investing in a portable, counter top ice maker will allow you to always have ice ready to use.  Beware, most ice makers are quite noisy and can be difficult to clean.

#4 – Toaster

Sometimes all you want in the morning is a couple of slices of toast.  The best appliance is a toaster – simple, quick, small and cheap!

#5 – Induction Burner

Portable induction cook plates use magnetic induction instead of thermal induction to create heat.  Since there isn’t a flame – these burners are safe to use in your RV kitchen.  They use minimal energy and heat up super fast – perfect for camping off the grid when its important to minimize power use.

Note: you must use cookware that is compatible with magnetic induction (you can check if your pots and pans will work by seeing if they “stick” to the burner – if they do – they are magnetic!)

#6 – Mini Blender (like Magic Bullet)

Do you like having a healthy morning smoothie?  Or perhaps a Margarita at happy hour?  You can have both with a mini blender!   These little appliances don’t take up a lot of space, but if you enjoy blended drinks – they are a must have for the camper.

Note: Motor size matters.  Make sure you read reviews and get a blender that has enough power to blend ice and frozen berries.

#7 – Instant Pot

Its always a bonus to find a cooking appliance that can cook in multiple ways and doesn’t heat up the inside of your camper.  The instant pot works like a slow cooker and a pressure cooker – so you have more options for food preparation.  Instant pots can saute, steam, and warm foods – it can even hard boil eggs.

#8 – Water Filter

You can’t always trust the water supply everywhere you go.  Using a high-quality water filter will ensure that your family is only drinking purified water – while save money (and the environment) avoiding drinking bottled water.

#9 – Small Refrigerator

If your camper doesn’t already have one, you’ll want to bring a small refrigerator to keep perishable foods chilled.  Look for a refrigerator that gets high marks for energy use.

#10 – Electric Griddle

Camper kitchens aren’t very big, so if you want to cook breakfast for a crowd, bring an electric griddle and extension cord – and set up on the picnic table outside.  You’ll be able to make a flock of pancakes, eggs, and bacon!

#11 – Electric Tea Kettle

Heat up water quickly and save on propane.  You can speed up boiling large pots of water as well by starting with boiling kettle water.  Even if you have a traditional coffee maker that can heat water, the electric kettle is super helpful to have in the kitchen as a second hot water source.

#12 – Table Fan

Its always a good idea to have a small, portable table fan in the camper.  Its a quick way to cool off the living area and it can also be used with an extension cord outside.  If there are flying insects around the food prep area, point the fan directly at the food.  Insects will not be able to fly around or land on your food.

#13 – Electric Frying Pan

Electric frying pans, (electric skillets) are great for adding another cooking option for meals.  With its high sides, you can cook anything from sauces to casseroles to grilled sandwiches.

#14 – Small TV

I know – “You’re CAMPING”…but sometimes you just want to curl up on the sofa and watch a good movie.  I mean, isn’t that why you have a camper in the first place?  If you wanted to completely rough it, you could be under a lean-to snuggling pine straw for warmth.  TVs are really inexpensive and lots of RV campgrounds come with complimentary satellite service.

#15 – Crock Pot

A slow cooker is essential if you like easy, home-cooked meals that can feed a crowd – but you don’t want to spend the day cooking!  Soups, stews, meatballs, dips – the possibilities are endless.  Plus, with the cooking bag inserts, cleaning is a breeze.